Circle-swing



J. METZGER. CIRCLE SWING. APPLICATION FILED IAN.28. I92o'.

- Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I- IIII II J. METZGER.

CIRCLE SWING. APPLICATION FILED 1m28, 1920.

1,368,568. Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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J E76I I UNITED STATES PATsur omer..

JOHN METZGEB, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 UNION TANK PIPECOMPANY, A. CORPORATIONOF CALFORNIA.

CIRCLE-SWING'.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN Mnrzenn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful improvement ComprisingCircle-Swings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to amusement devices, and more particularly to whatis known in the amusement business as' circle swings. These swingsconsist essentially of a vertical rotating shaft having arms to whichare attached by chains or cables various types of containers in whichthe patrons of the devices are carried. These containers may consist ofboats, baskets, aeroplanes or the like, and as the shaft is rotated, thecontainers are thrown out by centrifugal force, swinging in a constantlywidening circle until a balance is obtained, the final position of thecontainers depending upon the speed at which the shaft is rotated.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a circle swing whichis portable. So far as I am aware all previous types of circle swingshave been constructed more or less permanently so that when onceinstalled in a place they were left for long periods without moving. Myinvention is designed to be quickly erected so that it can be movedabout from place `to place, forming a part of fairs or Carnivals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable circle swingwhich can beerected and dismantled by its own power, the parts whendismantled, being of such a 'size as to be easily handled and shipped.

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only,

Figure l is a diagrammatic view showing the apparatus in operation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a section on a plane represented by the line 83 of Fig. 2.

Fig. t is a section on a plane represented by the line 1r-4.- of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlargedsection showing the oint between the base shaft andthe vertical shaft.

In the embodiment of the invention shown I provide a cylindrical basesection 11 to which is detachably bolted a series of legs 12, these legsbeing provided for the pur Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed January 28,1920. Serial No. 354,651.

pose of giving greater stability to the apparatus. Mounted on a plate 13secured between two of the legs 12 is a driving gear 14 which consistsof an electric motor 15 which drives a shaft 16 through a belt 24 andsuitable pulleys, the shaft 16 driving a shaft 1T through suitable gears18 and 19, the shaft 17 carrying a beveled pinion 20 which drives abevel gear 21 carried on a base shaft 22, this base shaft being fixed insuitable bearings inside the base section 11. The upper end of the shaft22 is provided with a plug 23 which may be of square or othernon-circular contour. Secured on the shaft 17 is a winch head 25.Suitable controlling apparatus (not shown) is of course provided bymeans of which the motor can be started, stopped or reversed.

Secured to one side of the upper end of the base section 11 is a hinge30, this hinge also being secured to a standard 31 which is preferablyformed of sheet` metal and which is conical in shape, terminating at itsupper end in a fiange 32 which forms a thrust bearing on which avertical shaft 33 is supported. This vertical shaft 33 may be solid butit is preferably formed of pipe, terminating in its lower end in asocket 34 which fits over ,the plug 23 when the device is fullyassembled.

Secured on the vertical shaft 33 above the upper end of the standard 31is a head 35 which is preferably provided with openings into which arnrI36 may bey slipped, these arms also being preferably formed of ypipe andextending upwardly and outwardly from the vertical shaft 33 as shown inFig. 2. The outer ends of the arms 36 are secured together by acircumferential cable, each of the arms being secured to an extension 38of the vertical shaft 33 by means of guy cables The extension 38 may besolid, but it preferably consists of a pipe of somewhat smaller diameterthan the pipe 33 secured inside the pipe 38,' in such amanner that itcannot rotate with relation thereto. The standard 3l and the basesection l1 are provided with flanges by means of which they may besolidly bolted together.

Secured on the lower end of the standard 31 is strut el) which extendsoutwardly and upwardly for the purpose of providing a leverage. A.hoisting` and lowering cable a1 is secured at one end of the flange 32,extending downwardly over the strut 40 into n or the like.

CII

- The apparatus is shipped dismantled, that is toV say, the variousparts are disconnected. Upon the arrival of the apparatus upon theground; the legs 12 are bolted to the base section 11 and the plate 13is bolted in place with the pinionv 2O engaging the gear 21. rlhestandard 31 is secured to the base section 1l by means of the hinge 30;the strut fl() having first been secured in place on the standard 3l. ltis now possible by means of the winch head 25 on the gear la and thecable Ll1 to lift the standard 31 from the ground and to raise it towardVthe vertical position. As soon as the standard 3l is partially raisedthe members. 36, 37,

38 and 39 are secured in place, the standardy y then` being elevated tothe vertical position and solidly bolted to the vbase section 11. As thestandard is pulled up into its vertical position the socketl slips overthe plug 23. After the standard is fully elevated Vthe strut 40 and thevcable 41 may be removed. It is then possible to rotate the shaft 33 andthe shaft 38 by means of the gear 17.

The method of dismantling the apparatus is of course the exact reverseto that described in assembling.

It will be seen that inyapparatus consists of a number of separatepieces, all ofwliich maybe made sufficiently small to be readily handledand shipped.

It will be further seen that by utilizing the gear 14C that the swingcan be quickly and easily erected.

1 claim as my invention-z 1. 1n a portable circle swing; a base section;legs detachably secured to said base section and projecting radiallytherefrom; a driving gear carried on structure secured to said legs; abaseshaft secured in bearings in said base section; a plug ofnoncylindrical contour secured on Vthe upper end of said base shaft; astandard bolted to the top ofsaid base section and projecting upwardlytherefrom; a hinge connecting one side of-said standard with saidbasesection; a vertical shaft turning in bearings in said standard; a socketfixed to the bottom of saidl shaft Vand fitting over and engaging saidvplug; a head fixed tosaid vertical shaft above said standard saidvertical shaft projecting upwardly from said head a series of armsdetachably soclreted in said head and projecting outwardly and upwardlytherefrom; acircumferential cable passing around and connectingth'eouter ends of said armsya series of guy cables each connecting the outerend ofA one of said arms strut to said winch head.

end of said base shaft; a standard bolted.

to the top of said base section and projecting upwardly therefrom; ahinge connecting one side of said standard with said base section; avertical shaft turning in bearings in said standard; a socket fixed tothe bottom of said shaft and fitting over and engaging said plug; a headfixed to said ver- .tical shaft above said standard said if'erticalshaft projecting upwardly from said head; a series of arms detachablysoclreted in said head and projecting outwardly and upwardly therefrom;a circumferential cable passing around and connecting the outer ends ofsaid arms; a series of guy cables each connecting the outer end of oneof said arms with the upper end of said vertical shaft; a strut securedto the lower end .of said standard; a winch head on said driving gearbelow said strut ;V and a hoisting and lowering cable secured near theupper end of said standard and passing over said strut to said winchhead.

3. ln a portable circle swing; a base section; legsV detachably securedto said base section and projecting radially therefrom; a driving gear;a base shaftsecured in bearinos in said base section; a plug of noncyiindrical contour secured on the upper end of said base shaft; astandard bolted to the top of said base section and projecting upwardlytherefrom; a hinge connecting one side of said standard with said basesection;.ay vertical shaftturning in bearings in said standard; a socketfined tothe bot` tom of said shaft and litting over and engaging saidplug; a head fixed to said vertical shaft above said standard saidvertical shaft projecting upwardly from said head; a series of armsdetachably soclreted in said head and projecting outwardly and upwardlytherefrom; a circumferential cable passing around andv connecting theouter ends of said arms; la series of guy cables each connecting theouter end of one of said arms with the upper end of said verticalsliaft;a strut secured .to the lower end of said standard; a winch headon said driving gear below said strut; and a hoisting and lowering cablesecured near the upper end of said standard and passing over said fl. 1na portable circle swing: a. base section; legs detachably secured tosaid base section and projecting radially therefrom; a driving gearcarried on structure secured to said legs; a base shaft secured inbearings in said base section; a standard bolted to the top of said basesection and projecting upwardly therefrom; a hinge connect ing one sideof said standard with said base section; a vertical shaft turning inbearings in said standard; means for detachably securing` said baseshaft to said vertical shaft; a head fixed to said vertical shaft abovesaid standard said vertical shaft projecting upwardly from said head; aseries of arms detachably socketed in said head and projecting outwardlyand upwardly therefrom; a circumferential cable passing around andconnecting the outer ends of said arms; a series of guy cables eachconnecting the outer end of one of said arms with the upper end of saidvertical shaft; a strut secured to the lower end of said standard; awinch head on said driving gear below said strut; and a hoisting andlowering cable secured near the upper end of said standard and passingover said strut to said winch head.

5. In a portable circle swing; a base section; legs detachably securedto said base section and projecting radially therefrom; a driving gearcarried on structure secured to said legs; a base shaft secured inbearings in said base section; a plug of noncylindrical contour securedon the upper end of said base shaft; a standard bolted to the top ofsaid base section and projecting upwardly therefrom; a hinge connectingone side of said standard with said base section; a vertical shaftturning in bearings in said standard; a socket xed to the bottom of saidshaft and fitting over and engaging said plufr; a head fixed to saidvertical shaft above said standard said vertical shaft projectingupwardly from said head; a series of arms detachably socketed in saidhead and projecting outwardly and upwardly therefrom; a circumferentialcable passing around and connecting the outer ends of said arms; and aseries of guy cables each connecting the outer end of one of said armswith the upper end of said vertical shaft.

6. In a portable circle swing; a base section; legs detachably securedto said base section and projecting radially therefrom; a driving gearcarried on structure secured to said legs; a base shaft secured inbearings in said base section; a plug of noncylindrical contour securedon the upper end of said base shaft; a standard bolted to the top ofsaid base section and projecting upwardly therefrom; a hinge connectingone side of said standard with said base section; a vertical shaftturning in bearings in said standard: a socket fixed to the bottom ofsaid shaft and fitting over and engaging said plug; a head fixed to saidvertical shaft above said standard said vertical shaft projectingupwardly from said head; and a series of arms detachably socketed insaid head and projecting outwardly and upwardly therefrom.

7. In a portable circle swing; a base section a driving gear carried onstructure secured to said legs; a base shaft secured in bearings in saidbase section; a plug of noncylindrical contour secured on the upper endof said base shaft; a standard bolted to the top of said base sectionand projecting upwardly therefrom; a hinge connecting one side of saidstandard with said base section; a vertical shaft turning in bearings insaid standard; a socket fixed to the bottom of said shaft and fittingover and engaging said plug; a head fixed to said vertical shaft abovesaid standard said vertical shaft projecting upwardly from said head;and a series of arms detachably socketed in said head and projectingoutwardly and upwardly therefrom.

8. In a portable circle swing; a basesection; legs detachably secured tosaid base section and projecting radially therefrom; a driving gear; abase shaft secured in bearings in said base section; a plug ofnoncylindrical contour secured on the upper end of said base shaft; astandard bolted to the top of said base section and projecting upwardlytherefrom; a hinge connecting one side of said standard with said basesection; a vertical shaft turning in bearings in said standard; a socketfixed to the bottom of said shaft and fitting over and engaging saidplug; a head xed to said vertical. shaft above said standard saidvertical shaft projecting upwardly from said head; and a series of armsdetachably socketed in said head and projecting outwardly and upwardlytherefrom.

9. In a portable circle swing; a base sec-- tion; legs detachablysecured to said base section and projecting radially therefrom; adriving gear carried'on structure secured to said legs; a base shaftsecured in bearings in said base section; a standard bolted to the topof said base section and projecting upwardly therefrom; a hingeconnecting one side of said standard with said base section; a verticalshaft turning in bearings in said standard; means for detachablysecuring said base shaft to said vertical shaft; a head fixed to saidvertical shaft above said standard said vertical shaft projectingupwardly from said head; and a series of arms detachably socketed insaid head and projecting outwardly and upwardly therefrom.

In testimonv whereof` I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles;California, this 20th day of January, 1920.

JOHN Mn'rzena.

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